1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods of restraining a cat.
2. Description of the Related Art
There comes a time in the life of most household pets when they must be given medication. The medication might be a pill, a shot, or a liquid dispensed into the pet""s mouth. A dog tends to receive medications such as this without serious =complaint and often without being aware of the medication being hidden in its food. On the other hand, a cat is, by its very nature, finicky and presents to its owner, a constant challenge to ensure that her cat has received its proper dosage of medication.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved technique for restraining a cat.
According to one of its aspects, the present invention provides a device for restraining a cat, comprising an enclosure capable of receiving the cat in an upright sitting position, the enclosure having a first opening to receive the cat""s tail, and a second opening to receive the cat""s neck wherein, but for the cat""s head and tail, the cat is confined to the enclosure while in said upright sitting position.
In another of its aspects, the present invention provides a device for restraining a cat, comprising an enclosure capable of receiving the cat in an upright sitting position, the enclosure having a first opening to receive the cat""s tail, and a second opening to receive the cat""s neck and means to reduce, at least partially, the size of the second opening whereby, but for the cat""s head and tail, the cat is confined to the enclosure in the upright sitting position.
Preferably, the enclosure is capable of assuming a generally tapered shape on the cat in its upright sitting position. If desired, the enclosure may be made from a fabric such as cotton or polyester and should be resistant to the cat""s attempts to scratch or puncture the wall of the enclosure, potentially causing injury to either the cat or its owner. The means to reduce the size of the second opening preferably includes an elastic strap but may alternatively include a clamp, a snap, a draw string, a clip or a hook-and-loop fastener, for example.
In another of its aspects, the present invention provides a method of restraining a cat, comprising placing the cat in an enclosure having a first passage for the cat""s tail and a second passage for the cat""s neck and configuring the cat and the enclosure so that, but for the cat""s head and tail, the cat is confined to the enclosure in an upright sitting position.
In still another of its aspects, the present invention provides a method of restraining a cat, comprising:
placing the cat in an enclosure, of a type capable of allowing the cat to be in an upright sitting position;
placing the cat""s tail through a first opening in the enclosure;
placing the cat""s neck through a second opening in the enclosure; and
configuring the enclosure so that, but for the cat""s head and tail, the cat is confined to the enclosure in the upright sitting position.
Thus, the device and method allow the cat to be confined in an upright sitting position. The device and method may, in some cases, allow the cat also to be confined in other positions, possibly such as a cat""s normal sitting position where the front paws are in an inclined substantially non-weight bearing position.